EFL player: It would be ‘really amazing’ if this player earns Rangers debut v Celtic
Former Rangers midfielder Dean Furman wants to see fellow South African Bongani Zungu earn his Gers debut against Celtic this week.
Steven Gerrard’s side will travel to Parkhead on Saturday for the first Old Firm derby of the season as the two great rivals meet in the Scottish Premiership.
Zungu, 28, joined the Light Blues on a loan-to-buy basis from Amiens on deadline day and Carlisle United midfielder Zungu has since been discussing his South Africa team-mate’s move to Ibrox.
“I don’t know how Bongani is fitness-wise but it would be really amazing if he was ready and thrown into the Old Firm game,” Furman told the Daily Record.
“What a fixture to start with, although the downside is that no fans will be there because that makes the fixture world famous.
“But even without fans it’s still a top game, so it would be an amazing welcome to Scottish football. If he’s not ready then he’ll realise quickly just by watching what it’s all about.”
It might be a risk to throw Zungu into the deep end like that.
Although we’re all excited to see what our newest signing can do in the Scottish Premiership, the South Africa international has barely played in 2020.
Prior to arriving in Glasgow on Monday, Zungu had made just two appearances since early March when the French season was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
He did start for Amiens on October 3 in their Ligue 2 defeat to SM Caen but other than a short appearance as a substitute the week before, the 28-year-old might not be up to full speed.
Furman knows Zungu and he isn’t sure about the player’s fitness.
Gerrard and his coaches will have gotten the measure of Zungu at Auchenhowie in the last week but there’s no guarantee he will be involved at all at Celtic Park on Saturday.
Rangers’ clash against Livingstone at Ibrox a week later is possibly a more realistic chance for Zungu to earn his first Gers appearance.
In other Rangers news, the Celtic Supporters Association have written an embarrassing letter to the SFA about the upcoming Old Firm.